philosophy (and argumentation) for children: some reflection for primary school

The Philosophy for Children curriculum and other Philosophy with Children experiences all around the world have been active in promoting dialogical contexts in school with the aim of fostering higher-order thinking. Within a complex thinking model and a community of inquiry framework, Lipman (2003) upholds the idea that thinking does not consist merely in reasoning or logic itself, but is performed by different dimensions of thought – both intra- and inter-personal. The thinking space that might open in a philosophical discussion supports the exercise of reasoning in communities of inquiry, which, in turn, promotes cognitive, social and civic competence. Acknowledging the crucial role of the rational and social dimensions of thinking, current research on argumentation in childhood and in school settings is growing consistently. In this paper we will refer to “argumentation” as both a fundamental way of reasoning and a social practice, which finds its ideal context of development in the exercise of discussion (Muller-Mirza, Perret-Clermont, 2009). The aim of this paper is to highlight perspectives and criticisms on argumentation relevant to P4C and PWC in primary school. Arguing is more than just reasoning, justifying, negotiating, and explaining. Nevertheless, it can be all of these things, as is evident when children take part in dialogic interaction. Rational and social aspects of argumentative competence can be fostered in a philosophical context at primary school age. Philosophy appears to be a privileged tool in building a community of inquiry, in which children give and receive arguments as active participants in argumentative events. Between pre-school, when argumentation is manifested through communicative needs and argumentative reasoning, and high school, when argumentation is sought to develop argumentative discourse skills, there is primary school. It is at this stage that exercising one’s rational and social skills through philosophy and dialogic teaching becomes crucial to developing and nurturing a more complex experience of argumentation.